Earlier this week, the Tampa Bay Lightning introduced the new look they’ll roll with during the 2011-12 season. The redesign removed the black and silver colors for a very simple blue-and-white scheme, with the overall design drawing more than a few comparisons to GM Steve Yzerman’s former team, the Detroit Red Wings.

Personally, I think the new duds are solid if unspectacular. I keep vacillating between calling them solid and bland, but that’s better than some of the lousy designs introduced by NHL teams during the last two decades. The team said it wanted an “iconic” or classic design and the simplicity of the logo and jerseys seem to meet those objectives.

It almost seemed like the Tampa Bay Lightning transformed from a makeshift band of misfits to a professional hockey franchise the moment they hired new general manager Steve Yzerman, even if that’s a wild overstatement.

(After all, the roster already included players such as Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis before Stevie Y arrived.)

Yet there’s no doubt that the club benefited from the instant credibility that came with hiring an all-time great and product of the unparalleled Detroit Red Wings organization. It seemed like it would only be a matter of time before the changes got bigger, a notion justified by the fact that the Lightning currently sits atop the Southeast Division and unveiled new jerseys and logos today.

The Lightning consulted strategic brand development firm SME to develop a new logo/brand with emphasis on these buzz words: “bold”, “classic”, “iconic” and “hockey-centric.” As this article explains, the team decided to shelve the black and silver in the logo in favor of a simple blue and white scheme.

Personally, I think it’s a nice and clean new look on these first few glances, but what about you? Do you prefer the old or the new? Should they go back to the drawing board altogether? Vote in the poll below.